Total Wii sales surpass the Xbox 360 worldwide?

The idea of Wii sales passing up the Xbox 360 has seemed almost inevitable in the past months, as its motion-sensing gameplay and lovable pricetag have found plenty of fans in the Americas, Europe and especially in the Wii's native Japan. So far no official numbers have hit that have the Wii past its Microsoft rival, but Vgchartz.com's own homebrew numbers, gleaned from retailers worldwide, project the Wii is slightly ahead at 10.57 million consoles sold, compared to the 360's 10.51 million. These numbers are meant to project consoles sold, not consoles shipped, which gives the sold out Wii a slight edge. There's no telling when we'll get official numbers to know all this for sure, and the 360 still has a comfortable lead over the Wii in both Europe and the States, but it's looking like we'll have a new market leader in town soon enough.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Zak @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:09AM]

I love it when the underdog comes good. I also own an xbox 360.

Roll on Metroid 3 and Super Mario Galaxy.

[Andir3.0 @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:51AM]

I love it when the biggest name in gaming is called the underdog.

[mudlouse @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:16PM]

Andir, the Wii is being called the underdog because it's light on specs when compared to the other two. Further to the point, the console also took a rather different approach to games and they just weren't sure how the public would receive it.

[Zak @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:07PM]

Andir3.0 So your going to say that the biggest name in gaming wasn't seen as the underdog in this next gen battle? Most speculated that this would be Nintendo's last console. I love Nintendo stuff and am more than happy at the result.

[fischju @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:09AM]

I thought it did this a couple of weeks ago, I think you should use more statistics and less graphs from other people to figure it out.

[Grey Acumen @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:11AM]

lol, I feel so re-tar-ded. I had seen this yesterday but hadn't realized that the Wii had switched to the top position in the stack, so I was still thinking 360 was ahead, but the Wii had only momentarily passed it up or something.

I'm sure there are now going to be about 5000 different comments about how this is too soon cause VGcharts can have as much as a 15% difference, or how some other site shows entirely different numbers and obviously VGchartz is biased towards the Wii.

None of it really matters though. This is just the first taste. By the end of the year, the difference will have widened more than any 15% difference and console bias could account for.

[Grey Acumen @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:15AM]

Okay, I'm testing this out here, cause I've noticed this odd tendency that posts with the word re-tar-ded (without the dashes) to not ever show up as being posted.
Meanwhile, I'm certain I've been able to post with actual swear words before shit, fuck, damn, ass.

[fistpittingnork @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:23AM]

Frank: "Cock, balls"
Beanie: "I'm just trying to make a point, Frank. You don't have to celebrate it."

[J @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:13AM]

PS3 = pwned

[Grey Acumen @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:20AM]

seriously, I've tested about half a dozen times now, not counting an incident a while back. Any time a post contains the word "re-tar-ded" (without the dashes) the post never shows up. On top of that, it never even tells you WHY your post doesn't show up.

What's going on, engadget? Why are swear words okay, but not re-tar-ded? This is like the word "spastic" instigating a recall in UK (or whichever part of Europe that happened in)

The least that could be done is make clear why the post didn't go through, or allow the post to go through but censor the word out or something, rather than losing the whole post.

[Harry Wagstaff @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:04PM]

I think it's to do with the fact that it's based on degrading someone for something that people suffer from.
It's like saying someone's disabled because they can't run as fast as you, when there are actual disabled people who can't run at all.

[Grey Acumen @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:32PM]

so why just re-tar-ded and not "spastic"

and that still doesn't change the issue that there was no notice of this, no way to tell why it is your post isn't showing up, etc.
If they're going to block a post for a lame ass reason like that, then they'd better tell me why, not just simply say "congratulations, you posted!" and then not have it show up.

Besides, if you are mentally proficient enough to be insulted by it, you aren't really re-tar-ded. And aren't we referring to them as "mentally challenged" so why can't we use re-tar-ded for other circumstances? I'm tired of having the entire fucking dictionary edited out to make sure people don't get "offended"

I am insulted by the word "engadget"
In the area I am from, it is a derogatory slang term used to refer to people who have to use prosthetic limbs. I have a number of friends who have suffered from the use of this term and I want to make sure this word is banned from this website.

[Mitch @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:29AM]

PS3 is getting hosed in the marketplace.

Ouch!!

[Jerome @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:30AM]

the PS3 is not even 1 year old!!

Same thing with the Wii, the Xbox is getting PWNED!

[Randy @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:13PM]

That could be a valid point. What was the 360's sales at this time last year, when it too was less than a year old?

[Jerome @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:41PM]

That is a good question, I really don't know.

I am a Sony fanboy :P loll

well... I just google and got this from wikipedia

Q4 2005 1.5 million units[84]
Q1 2006 1.7 million units[85]
Q2 2006 1.8 million units[86]
Q3 2006 0.9 million units[2]

total of 5.9 million units

It looks the same... :P loll

[HineyWipe @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:30AM]

Consumers want fun and want it cheap. Nintendo built a reputation of "family-friendly amusement" with prior consoles and handhelds.

[Glazun @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:33AM]

Meh, console needs GAMES.. GAMES..

[BobTheMonkey @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:39AM]

I didn't think that the 360 and the Wii were competitors. I don't see them as competitors, anyways. Most houses that have a Wii have some other system as well.

I wonder if they will flip back again after Halo 3 comes out. Should be interesting.

[Kris Burbidge @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:51AM]

Somehow I doubt one game (even a highly anticipated one) will cause any console to double its monthly sales. Even if the 360 DID double its sales, it would still not sell as much as the Wii does (and will continue to do). The only reason the Wii's sales are flat is because they can't even make enough to satisfy demand (even with the other consoles dropping their prices). Not to mention the fact that neither 360 or PS3 are profitable yet, while the Wii has been from Day 1. Lunches are being eaten. The 65nm 360 Premium should come out at $299. That, and Halo 3, might turn it into more of a horse race (that is, until the Wii is $199 or $149 while STILL making a profit).

[GenoBaby @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:12PM]

I think that most people that are going to get Halo 3 already own a 360... but it still will be interesting to see what the figures are after the holiday season.

[Aaron @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:33PM]

I'm waiting until Halo 3 comes out before I purchase a 360.

I'm also hoping for the cooler processing chip, built in HDMI(some already do) and a built in HD-DVD drive( I know, keep dreaming)

[Agathos @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:47AM]

The PS3 is not getting owned, it's selling okay. The Wii is just a phenomenon. It's the same with the PSP and DS, the PSP is doing great and is a business success but the DS is just a world phenomenal success. FACT: Niether the PS3 or PSP are failures or are getting owned.

Also note that the 360 had a great year and has a well established install base so it too can very well be considered a business success.

I LOVES me some competition between these guys!

[Larry @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:47AM]

This data suggests that Nintendo has hit a mass market price. All the more reason for the Xbox 360 Arcade, as the Core is now called, to match the $249.99 price out the door. Come on MS, I'm waiting! Give me a Xbox 360 Arcade (Core) version w/the rumored Holiday Bundle (Forza 2 & Marvel Ultimate Alliance) for $249.99 and I'll "Jump in"

[MaxPower @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:51AM]

To "PS3 = pwned" "PS3 is getting hosed" etc and similar comments sure to follow

Xbox 360: ~21 months since launch
PS3: ~9 months since launch

hmmm you take 21 / 9 * 4.32M you get 10.08M; so not even taking into account better sales due to price drops the PS3 is selling about as well as the Xbox 360 has to date. Idiots, learn to use a calculator.

[fistpittingnork @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:07PM]

10.08 mil < 10.51 mil where I come from, not sure about you, but that STILL leaves Ps3 in third place.

Not that I'm taking sides on any console here or anybody spouting off how big of a boner they have for [insert console name here], though.

[Grey Acumen @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:09PM]

The one problem with that logic is it means PS3 will never catch up, because it's only selling AS well as the 360 already did over a year ago.

Also, the PSP is a success simply because it's selling at all. No handheld system has even managed that much against the Nintendo handheld powerhouse.
That same standard can't be used for consoles. Sony used to be THE top console. Now they're the bottom. That vicious cycle of more consoles = more developers = more games = more consoles is going to continue pulling the advantage to the Wii.
On top of that, the PS3 is losing money on every console, so they aren't really winning no matter how you look at it. Unless they can catch up to 360, PS3 is going to be screwed this round.

[John @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:10PM]

I'm sure you in your wisdom would never have overlooked any factors that stop sales of any non-consumable product from being constant.. such as that at this point, anyone who wants to buy and has the monetary assets to buy a PS3 already has done so, as has happened with the Xbox 360. Products always sell fast at launch, with sales then sloping down as everyone who wants one gets one. But then again, it's possible you aren't actually a wise economics guru, but simply someone who got told about "ratios" once back in middle school and thought you would totally shock and awe us with your superior dividing skillz.

Sorry to disappoint, but even for a troll, you're pretty pathetic.

[nyuhsuk @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:20PM]

@John

Although the ratio is mathematically sound but unlikely to unfold as such, you must take into the consideration that a console still sells ridiculous amounts as they continue to mature and drop in price. PS2 seems to be growing still and outselling both those HD consoles... it's a bit past launch now...

Bring them damn games... until then, 'The Office' reruns off the PS3... DW6. Mmm... monotonous yet fun gameplay...

[John @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:41PM]

My point is that you can't take statistics that are largely biased due to including the surge of purchases that accompany a console launch and extrapolate from that the future sales of the console for the next year+. I would not have taken such offense had the original poster not decided to insult the entire reading populace of this site. To illustrate the flaw in his logic, the PS3 has (according to the posted statistics here) sold 4.32m units in 8 months, or 540,000 per month *on average*. However, recently it sold ~160k units in the US. If it sold proportionally elsewhere as it has overall, that means ~370k sales overall, 170k short of that 540k average. Extrapolating market data for any product is tricky, and when it comes to a non-consumable such as a console, it's even more difficult.

[Miguel Melendez @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:57AM]

I own both consoles (360 and Wii) and honestly think that purchasing the Wii was a waste of cash. I haven't touched it since I got maybe 10% through Zelda. How long can you play wii sports before you get tired of the same repetative gameplay? Why would I shell out another $50 for a game I already beat on two different consoles 4 years ago(Resident Evil 4)? And don't get me started on the Virtual arcade, yes it is convenient to have these old classics on your newest console but I hope people know that if they really are dieing to playt these games they can easily download them to their pc for FREE.

All in all, I feel that the sadest part of this story is that more than 10 million people wasted over $250 of thier hard earned cash.

[Jeff @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:12PM]

"How many times can you play Wii Sports?"

I don't know how to answer this without sounding rude, but you have any friends? Seriously. I'm not trying to be offensive, but whether or not you have friends is critical to answering the question. If you don't, the answer is about a dozen, tops. If you do have friends, well, uhm, I got my Wii 9 months ago. I'm not sick of Wii Sports yet. I'll let you know if I ever get bored with it (but don't hold your breath).

[icr2d2 @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:21PM]

I too own both consoles, but do not consider the Wii a waste of cash. There’s great value in it. It’s a party console with games that are easily accessible. I enjoy the interactive nature of Resident Evil 4, a casual game of Mario Bros. and the odd round of interactive tennis. That being said, the Wii to me is a fun, casual, interactive console and Nintendo has done very well in marketing this idea to the general public. Microsoft needs to appeal to a broader audience if it wishes to maintain its market lead, Halo3 will not do this. It needs additional family friendly casual games and most of all - promote its console at less exclusive events. Oh yeah, producing lesser flawed hardware wouldn’t hurt either. And please, do not label me as a Nintendo fanboy, I put more time on the 360 than the PSP and Wii combined. Why? Xbox Live. It’s an exceptional social network. So if anyone wishes to partake in some friendly competition, my Gamertag is mRambaldi. See you online.

[DG @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:26PM]

The party comment is straight on. I've only played Wii at parties and absolutely loved it. However, because I live in an apartment building with sound issues, there's no way I would buy a Wii simply because I couldn't have people over and make the kind of noise Wii Sports makes.

However, it really, really is a fun system. I don't know how many games Nintendo is selling (Wii Sports is pack-in, right?), but the system is a blast with other people, more so than PS2, Xbox, or even the old N64/Goldeneye set-up. Having Wii at a party makes people who would NEVER otherwise play video games excited about the machine; it's pretty incredible.

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:00PM]

"I don't know how to answer this without sounding rude, but you have any friends? Seriously. I'm not trying to be offensive, but whether or not you have friends is critical to answering the question. If you don't, the answer is about a dozen, tops. If you do have friends, well, uhm, I got my Wii 9 months ago. I'm not sick of Wii Sports yet. I'll let you know if I ever get bored with it (but don't hold your breath)."

Why should a console's success be based on the amount of friends you have? That's why we have online play.

"Wii Sports" was the first pre-packaged game for the Wii console and of course it's going to grow boring after a while. Unless that is the only game you own, Jeff, then that's fine and dandy. *lolz*

[coplice @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:06PM]

if i remmeber well
MS said around the same time the Wii and PS3 were released that they will have sold 10m X360 by the end of the year, which it didnt, and 10 months later they only sold 500000 more X360 than their "10m by the end of the year" prediction?

wth, who is getting owned?

[timatl @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:57PM]

what is even worse is sony was suppose to sould 3 million before end of 2006 and 6 million by march of 2007. sales are even slower now that you can find BLu-ray players for the same price or cheaper.

[clark @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:15PM]

You know what this report actually says is that there can actually be 3 successful systems in the marketplace. PS3's big titles havent even come out yet and it's doing well. XBOX still has it's biggest title yet to come out.

All of these systems are performing very well.

Only real problem I see in this is Wii's success might encourage more smaller steps in hardware refreshes instead of the leaps we've seen between PS2 and PS3.

And Nintendo has been manipulating their supply chain from the getgo and proven you can manipulate far after the opening weekend and continue to sell sell sell. While this is great for profit making, it is not good for the consumer and I really hate Nintendo doing that right now.

[Gary Combs @ Aug 24th 2007 12:27PM]

I seriously doubt that Nintendo is behind some nefarious scheme to limit Wii sales, or try make some sort of fabricated demand to make more money. Logic would have it that Nintendo would do their best to meet demand, which they still are unable to meet. Hopefully eventually they will or that would be their biggest downfall. I got my Wii last month with anticipation for MP3. I will say that the Wii has a lot of work ahead of it and many improvements need to be made. With that said, I'm very pleased and impressed with my Wii.

[GDBLO @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:16PM]

Looking at those stat's its easy to see that Xbox 360s lack of sales in the japanese market are what is killing it. It still reigns supreme in other regions of the world.

[Chris Le @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:19PM]

I don't buy it. Where did 10.57 million people find a Wii to buy?!?! Cuz they sure as hell aren't in stock here in New York.

[Agathos @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:29PM]

@John,

That's not a trolling comment, he's just applying some logic. You sound like another of those arrogant idiots that secretly beleives once every half hour when you browse the net for a blog thread to comment on and manage to hash out a psuedo-intellectual argument to a quick comment someone made that you've now self promoted yourself to the position of cleverist MF'er on the planet.

Well youre not John, remember that.

:P

[Galley @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:38PM]

Who is buying all of these Wiis? Have you ever seen one in the stores? No, neither have I.

[nodnetni @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:48PM]

That is why they have sold 10+million, the sell out right away. I have seen them in stores, but they were always gone with in a day or two.

More consoles sold = more interest in making games for said console. (hope this equation works out to be true)

[Ty @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:40PM]

I didn't go to school for these things so excuse my ignorance but doesn't the price alone dictate that it will sell more? Until all 3 consoles are the same price won't this chart always look similar to this?

[MaxPower @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:43PM]

Ugh, no of course ratios are not a perfect indicator, so for a much better comparison refer to the chart in the link below, and as I indicated in a more simplistic manner above the sales figure line up pretty well. I think any reasonable person would agree the PS3 is not done for, or that the Xbox is blowing it away. What we can say is that the Wii is doing even better than the numbers in the article indicate.
http://vgchartz.com/hwcomps.php?cons1=Wii®1=All&cons2=PS3®2=All&cons3=X360®3=All&align=1

[Mike @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:47PM]

I own all three and the Wii has been a dust magnet since mid December. I know Mario, Metroid, and Smash Bros are coming, but who cares. I'll be busy with Halo 3, Mass Effect, Call of Duty 4, BioShock, and Rock Band. Also, I think for the price, the PS3 is doing ok. Another price drop and some games will get it right back in the fight.

[TheWakeUpCall @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:55PM]

I read on gamespot that the PS3 had sold over 12 million units in Europe alone, that was this morning???

http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6177264.html

[Mykalson @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:19PM]

The '13 million units' talked about in this article appears to be referring to games, not systems.

[Magallanes @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:02PM]

YAY Wiikey!

;-)